The present invention relates generally to dishwasher racks, and more particularly to a shield or deflector for a rack in a washing machine which provides for the deflection of food particles and liquid to prevent the particles and liquid from falling on the floor when the rack is pulled out of the washing chamber.
Dishwashers have long included slideable or rollable racks. In a typical front-loading dishwashing machine, the front door opens and one or more racks may be pulled from the interior of the dishwasher for loading and unloading purposes. In this conventional configuration, the racks pull out over the door. When plates, bowls, cups, glasses, and other serving ware or utensils are loaded in the dishwasher, the kitchen floor is protected from spillage of food material that may remain on the dirty dishes. In the conventional design, any food, including liquids, that falls through the rack, is captured by the open door. This configuration prevents leakage onto the floor.
There are problems with this conventional design. In particular, the door of the dishwashing machine must be long enough with respect to the racks to prevent food or liquid from falling to the floor. Thus, there is a problem in that dishwasher racks cannot extend further than the front edge of the open door. Thus, either the dishwasher racks are restricted in the amount that they slide, which causes loading difficulties, or a reduced size of rack must be used, or the size of the door and therefore the entire dishwashing machine must be large enough so that the racks cannot be pulled out further than the end of the door insert. Even if the door extends beyond the rack, particles or liquids may hit the door and then fall onto the floor.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a rack accessory that improves upon the state of the art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a rack accessory that permits dishwashing machines to have shorter doors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rack accessory that permits racks to be extended further out of the interior of a dishwasher and beyond the open door for easier loading and unloading.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher rack accessory that prevents food and liquid from dirtying the kitchen floor.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The rack accessory of the present invention is a shield or deflector for the rack of a dishwashing machine of the present invention includes a front wall and a bottom wall. The deflector is attached to the front of a dishwasher rack in order to prevent food and liquid from spilling out onto the floor when the rack is extended beyond the open door. Optionally, the deflector includes sidewalls that prevent additional spillage. The dishwasher rack accessory which is a deflector or shield permits for dishwashing doors to be shorter and/or for dishwashing racks to be extended further beyond the open door. The deflector also deflects food particles and liquid away from the edges of the open door so as to substantially preclude the food or liquid from hitting the door and then spilling onto the floor. Food falling from plates, bowls or other objects in the rack may also be caught by the deflector.